Spokane County Commissioners remove Martin Hall funding

Last Thursday, Nov. 29, the board of Spokane County Commissioners voted to pull their funding from Martin Hall Juvenile Detention Center in Medical Lake beginning in 2013.

The move is estimated to save the county $320,000 each year for the guaranteed five beds reserved for Spokane County. Martin Hall currently has 60 beds, but only 20 are in regular use, Commissioner Al French said.

Payments averaged out to $175 per bed every night, regardless of whether it was being used. Contract negotiations arose with other counties using Martin Hall in an effort to reform the payment structure, larg...